Application of mud-laden fluids to oil or gas wells



Patented Mar; 9, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BEN K. STROUID, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIIEORNIA.

APPLICATION OF MUD-LADEN FLUIDS TO OIL 03 GAS WELLS.

1T0 Drawing. Application filed April 6, 1923, Serial No. 630,399. Renewed December 16, 1925.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, BEN K. S'rRoUn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles in the county of Los Angeles and 5 State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in an Application of Mud-Laden Fluids to Oil or Gas Wells, of which the following is a specification. Y

. This invention relates to oil, gas and water wells and the primary object of the the same and will not penetrate or contro heavy flows of oil, water or gas.

Further, such muds or fluids are usually mixed to a thick consistency as possible in order to have a maximum weight in column for the better control of the oil, gas or water flow. Now by reason of such lack of weight as well as because thickness of such oil filled mud, the same becomes gas out i. e. the gas becomes intimately mixed with the fluid with the result that the mud or fluid column in the well is dispelled and the flow of gas becomes uncontrollable. Uncontrolled or wild wells are wasteful and dangerous to both life-and property and it is therefore the prime object of the invention to provide a fluid which will have sufiicient body for effectively filling up the interstices in a well and for effectively controlling the flow of gas and oil in a well.

It is another prime object of the invention to provide an improved compound consisting of iron oxide, barium sulphate, lead concentrate and mercury or quick silver for effectively controllin the flow of oil and gas in a well and wh1ch will penetrate and seal dangerous flows of liquid, particularly when the same is accompanied by quantities of gas in the sides of the well without interfering with the drilling process.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved mud laden fluid formed of the above materials which will penetr'ae and seal up porous formations commonly encountered in the drilling of oil, gas or Water wells in such a manner as to prevent their caving in or obstructing the passage of the drilling tools, the compound being of such specific gravity and fineness as to withstand all internal pressure and eliminate the inconveniences caused by all known mud/laden fluids. I

With these and other objects in view, the

invention consists in the provision of the 6 improved compound consisting of iron oxide, barium sulphate, lead concentrate and mercury mixed in the desired proportion and quantities according to the character of the well being, bored. Iron oxide is especially I0 suitable because it has a high specific gravity; accordingly by forming a mud of this material a mud-laden fluid of a specific gravity considerably in excess of that of ordinary mud-laden fluids can readily be obtained, while the viscosity can still be kept low enough to permit it to be readily employed in the well and Without becoming gas-cut. The specific gravity of ordinary mud-laden fluid can also be increased by 8 the addition of iron oxide thereto and a mud-laden fluid can be obtained whose viscosity is as required; the iron oxide is accordingly suspended in the earthy suspensoid.

The employment of barium sulphate or barytes as a base of a mud-laden fluid is not claimed herein but is claimed in my application Serial Number 7 56,624, filed December 17, 1924 in which the subject-matter dis- 9 closed herein is also'broadly claimed.

The lmproved compound is introduced into the well casing and circulated through the well in the ordinary manner as 'in the usual practice of forcing water and the ordinary muds through the well, and the compound will effectively seal u thesides of the well as heretofore broug t out and effectively prevent the blowing outof the oil or as. v Q

hanges in details may be made'without departing from the spirit or the scope of this invention.

What I claim as new is:

1. The method of solidifying soil in oi wells and other sha consisting of introducing a mud laden fluid containing mercury into the well or shaft.

2. The method of solidifying soil in oil wells and for preventing the blowing out of I gas and oil in wells consisting of introducmg a column of liquid containing mercury and lead concentrate in the well.

3. The method of solidifying soil in an oil Well and for preventing the blowing out of gas and oil from the well consisting of introducing a fluid formed of barium sulphate, iron oxide, lead concentrate and mercury into the well.

4. A compound adapted for use in oil wells comprising iron oxide, barium sulphate, lead concentrates and mercury.

5. A mud laden fluid for oil or gas wells comprising iron oxide in suspension.

6, In the art of boring or controlling 'oll Certificate. of Correction.

It is hereby certified that Letters Patent No.-1,575,944,

e application of Ben K. Stroud,'of Los Angeles,

upon th or gas wells, the process comprising intro-- ducing into the well iron oxide in suspen- S1011.

7. A mud-laden fluid for oil or gas wells comprising iron oxide suspended in an 20 In testimony whereof I aifix my signature.

BEN K. STROUD.

granted March 9,1926, California, for an improvement in Application of Mud-Laden Fluids to Oil or Gas Wellsf were erroneously issued to the inventor, said Stroud, whereas said Letters Patent should have been issued to National Pigments .cQ' Ulwmz'o'ozlv Company, of St. Louis, Missouri,

a corporation of Missmm-z', said corporation,

in said invention, as shown by Said Letters Patent should be being assignee of the entire interest the records of assignments in this. oflice; and that the read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Ofiice.

Signed and sealed this 13th day of April, A.'D.'19Q)6.

, M. J. iMoonn, I Acting Commissioner of Patents; 

